News

Bagging controls tomato pests

Tomato producers now have a new alternative for the control of small-borer and tomato-moth. AGROTEX non-woven bags (TNT), manufactured by TNTEX Indústria e Comércio, protect against these pests that affect the tomato fruits during their growth. The non-woven used in the manufacture of the bags is produced with polypropylene, Braskem's raw material, which is essential for the application, low absorption and water retention.

Bagging fruits is a well-known technique for a more sustainable management of fruit trees, but the application in tomatoes is new. To be possible, TNTEX and Fitesa, a leader in the non-woven industry, have developed a product fully suited to the needs of tomato plants with differentiated grammage, resistance to weather and sun protection, and at the same time, permeable to oxygen and water.

"We study each culture to create a totally appropriate solution. Our bag also has as a differential the closure with elastic, which gives ease and quickness of installation and a better application quality. Until then there was no effective control of tomato pests. Our product is 100% efficient", says Mario Mezzedimi, director of TNTEX.

"The tomato crop is very important in the country, occupying almost 60 thousand hectares, so this sustainable technology will benefit many farmers and also consumers", says Andre Prezenszky, PP Application and Market Development engineer.

Proven effectiveness

A research carried out during two years by the Federal University of Ceará (UFC) on tomato crops in the rural area of Ubajara (CE) confirmed the effectiveness of bagging tomato fruits, in the fight against pests that directly attack the fruits. The non-woven bags should be placed at the time of flowering, so that the curl grows inside it. In the study, it was observed that the cost is 40.7% lower than if chemical control was used.

"With the technique, there is a reduction in the loss of fruits damaged by pest attack. If only insecticides are considered to control insects that attack fruits, the reduction is 95 to 100%", says Professor Patrik Luiz Pastori, from the UFC.

About Braskem

With a global, human-oriented vision of the future, Braskem's 8,000 members strive to improve people's lives by creating sustainable solutions for chemistry and plastic. It is the largest resin producer in the Americas, with an annual production of 20 million tons, including basic chemicals and petrochemicals, and revenues of R$ 55 billion in 2016. It exports to customers in approximately 100 countries and operates 41 industrial units located in Brazil, USA, Germany and Mexico, the latter in partnership with Mexican Idesa.